Device for attaching stay-wires in wire fences



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

H. C. PRATT.

DBVIGE .I'OR ATTAGHING' STAY WIRES IN WIRE PEN-CBS. No, 538,385;.PatentedApr. 30,1895.

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(No Model.)

- I H. O.'PRATT. DEVICE FOR ATTAGHING STAY WIRES IN WIRE FENCES.

Patented Apr; 30, 1895.

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' wi/limoeo (No Model.) 3 Sheets -Sheet 3'.

H,. 0. PRATT. DEVICE FOR ATTAOHING STAY WIRES IN-WIRE FENCES.

N0. 538,385. I ,PaitentedApr. 30, 1895.1

gz Ja UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

HENRY C. PRATT, OF OANANDAIGUA, NEW YORK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 538,385, dated April30, 1895.

Application filed October 11 1894 Serial No.525,605. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY 0. PRATT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Oanandaigua, in the countyof Ontario and State of New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices forAttaching Stay-Wires to Wire Fences; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same.

My invention consists in the novel features of construction andcombination of parts hereinafter fully described reference being had tothe accompanying drawings which illustrate one form in which I havecontemplated embodying my invention and said invention is fullydisclosed in the following description and claims.

Referring to the said drawings, Figure 1 represents a portion of onepanel of fence, showing my improved apparatus in operative position forattaching stay-wires. Fig 2 is an enlarged plan view of the apparatus,parts being shown in section. Fig. 3 is asectional View on line 3 3 ofFig. 2 looking toward the gagement with one of the fence-wires.

right. Fig. 4 represents an end view of the machine just before it isremoved from on- Fig. 5 represents a similar view of the machine justafter it has been placed in engagement with a fence-wire. Fig. 6represents a similar view showing the machine in position to lay thefirst coil of the stay-wire at a greater distance from the machine thanthe succeeding coils. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the delivery-platein the position which it occupies in Fig 6, a part of said plate beingshown in section. Fig. 8 is a detail view of said deliveryplate. Fig. 9is a detail side elevation of one of the stay-bars for holding thefence-wires while the stay-wires are put on. Fig. 10 represents a frontelevation of a slightly-modified form of machine for putting on a-singlestaywire. Fig. 11 is a rear view of the same. Figs. 12 and 18 are detailviews showing the plates at opposite ends of the machine. Fig. 14 is adetail view showing a device for deflecting the fence-Wires out of astraight line when engaged by the machine.

The apparatus illustrated in Figs. 1 to 9, incl usive is adapted forputting on two vertical are provided with a series of pins 0, c c thetop pin 0 being preferably horizontal and the pins 0 being inclineddownwardly as shown best in Fig. 9. These bars are secured .to the fencewire at each end of the machine as shown in Fig. 1 to hold the wires ofthe fence from being drawn out of line toward each other while the stayWires are being put on. The pins 0 c engage the upper sides of the lowerWires and the pin 0 engages the under side of the top wire thus holdingthe rods 0 0 against accidental displacement. These rods can beinstantly removed by withdrawing the top wire horizontally from abovethe pin 0 and raising therod 0, so as to disengage the pins 0'.

The machine for applying the stay wires consists of a pair of end blocksD D each provided with a pair of parallel steel bars 61 d which passthrough a pair of hollow handles d 01. Each of these handles engages onebar from each end block and is provided at each end with set screws d dby which the said bars may be clamped in any position to which they maybe adjusted. It will thus be seen that the end blocks D D may beadjusted to different distances apart according to the distance desiredbetween the adjacent stay wires of the fence.

Each of the blocks D D is provided with a rigid arm E provided with apin e upon which is mounted a spool e for carrying the wire for thevertical stay wires and said spool is set at an angle to the body of themachine. The rear side of the block D is also sloped or beveled asindicated at 01 Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6, for a purpose hereinafter setforth. I also provide a spring tension arm e engaging the spool 6 havingan aperture to slip over the supporting pin e and provided with afastening bolt and a wing nut e for adjusting the tension of said arm.

Each of the end blocks is provided on its front side with a recess orchannel 01 in which is located a wire guide 01 consisting preferably ofan eye and at each end of the machine is a delivery plate F each securedto one of the blocks D, one of said plates being shown in detail in Fig.8.

Each of the delivery plates F is provided with an eye or wireguidefwhich I term the delivery eye, which is preferably located in asunken or offset portion of the plate in line with the groove or recess(1. Around thisdepressed portion the plate is provided with a lip or ribf which extends beyond the face of the plate, see Figs. 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8which lip has portions disposed at right angles to each other forming acorner f over which the wire is delivered when the machine is beingmoved from one wire to the other, and for convenience I will designatethis corner portion of the lip the initial delivery point.

The plate F is provided with a rearwardly projecting arm f in line withthe delivery eye f projecting at right angles to the rear face of thesaid block D and provided with a notch or recess f to receive one of thefence wires. In line with this notch, the lip f is provided withadelivery recess for depressed portion over which the wire passes fromthe delivery eye when the machine is coiling the stay wire about one ofthe fence wires as shown in Fig. 4:. Between the delivery recesses f andthe initial delivery pointf the lip f is provided with 'a raised portionf which is inclined on both sides and which ongages the stay wire whenthe first coil is about to be made and forces it to be laid at a greaterdistance from the end of the block D than the other coils aresubsequently laid when the wire passes from the delivery recess f andthus prevents the coils from being laid one over the other.

The operation takes place in the following manner: \Vhen the machine isdrawn from one fence wire B to another it is in the position shown inFig. 5 and the arms f are placed beneath the next lower fence wire withthe notches f engaging the wire. The stay wire is then in the positionshown in Fig. 5 and passes over the initial delivery point f The machineis then turned by means of its handles in the direction shown by thearrow, Fig. 5 until it reaches the position shownin Fig. 6, when by thechange of position of the machine the wire will slide along the lip f upto nearly the top of the raised portion f where it will be caused tocling slightly by frictional engagement therewith, until the stay wirehas been made to engage the fence wire B as in Fig. 6. Thus the raisedportion f of the lip will lay the stay wire at a distance from the plateF (see Fig. 7) and upon turning the device farther the wire will slipoff of the raised portion of the lip f and engage the delivery recess fas shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6 but the first coil of the stay wire,around each of the fence wires will thus be laid farther away from themachine than the others. The wire for subsequent coils will be paid outover the delivery recess f and will fall within the first v It isdesirable to have the wire from the spools e paid off most rapidly .Whenthe machine is being moved from one fence wire to the next, and byreference to Fig. 1 it will be seen that while this is being done thewire passes from the lower sides of the spools through the guides 01 (Zthe delivery eyesf of the deliver plates, and over the initial deliverypoints f of the lips j" in the same general curve as it leaves thespool, so that the wire is not bent or deflected to any appreciableextent and renders very easily. When however the first .coil is about tobe made and the wire slips to the delivery recess which is in alineabout at right angles to the line followed by the wire in rendering overthe initial delivery point, the wire is bent sharply at an angle andthereafter renders with considerable friction over the delivery recess,in addition to the tension of the tension arm e thus drawing the staywires taut from one fence wire to the other in making the fresh coil ofthe stay wire and coiling. the wire tightly upon the fence wire. Thisinsures neat looking and firmly secured stay wires.

In applying stay wires on a fence with my improved machine, the stayrods 0 O are secured to the wires a little farther apart than thedistance desired between the stay wires. The machine is then lengthenedor shortened to lay the stay wires at the proper distance apart and isthen made to engage the top fence wire between the stay rods 0 O andcoil the stay wires about it. It is then drawn down to the second wireand so on until the bottom wire is reached where the stay wires are cutand the machine and stay rods are removed to another part of the fence.

In lowering the machine from one wire of the fence to the next, it willbe found very advantageous to have the rear face of the end blocks Dbeveled as described and shown (see particularly Fig. 4) for it will beseen that as the machine is drawn down theinclined portions allow themachine to be pressed rapidly rearward thereby bringing the fence wirein position to draw the stay wires over the initial delivery point, whenthey will render much more freely than over the delivery recess f InFigs. 10 to 14 inclusive,.I have shown a modified form of my machineadapted for putting on a single stay wire instead of two simultaneously,as it may be desirable in some cases, as where pickets are used, toapply a single wire only. In these figures G represents the main body ofthe device which is provided at one end with a delivery plate Hconstructed in all respects like the plate F of the device previouslydescribed and having an arm it provided with a notch h for engaging thefence wire B as shown in Fig. 12. At the other end the bodyG is providedwith a hooked or recessed plate H for engaging the fence wire B having arecess h in line with the recess h of the delivery plate. In order tohold the device upon the fence wire I provide it with a bracket h whichongages the wire and holds it out of a straight line as indicated inFigs. 11 and 14. The wire is drawn in a direction to hold it in theplates H and H in order to slip it over the bracket h and the wire isthus held firmly in the device while the stay wire is coiled upon it.Upon the main body G is mounted a spool I for carrying the wire and saidspool is provided with a tension arm i and adj usting nut i to give itthe desired tension. The operation of the device will bethe same as theoperation of one end of the device previously described. I may providethe main body G with suitable handles as indicated in dotted lines inFig. 10, if preferred, in order to facilitate the handling of thedevice.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A device for attaching stay wires to wire fences, comprising amongits members, two wire distributing devices, and adjustable connectionsbetween said distributing devices, whereby two stay wires may be appliedat Variable distances apart, substantially as described.

2. A device for attaching stay wires to wire fences comprising among itsmembers, two wire distributing devices, arms rigidly connected With eachof said devices, handles for engaging said arms provided with adjustingdevices, whereby said distributing devices can be arranged at differentdistances apart, substantially as described.

3. A device for attaching stay wires to wire fences comprising among itsmembers, a wire delivery plate having a delivery eye, and adjacentthereto a projection for engaging the wire between said delivery eye andthe fence wire, said projection having an inclined face adapted toengage the wire as the device is rotated, to lay the first coil at agreater distance from the said plate than subsequent coils,substantially as described.

4. A device for applying stay wires to wire fences comprising among itsmembers a wire delivery spool, and a delivery plate having a deliveryeye and adjacent thereto a wire engaging portion for engaging the wireafter it leaves said delivery eye, said wire engaging portion of saidplate having an initial delivery recess in line with the naturalcurvature of the wire in leaving the spool, through which the wire isdelivered when moving the device from one wire to another, and a maindelivery recess out of the line of curvature of the wire, through whichthe wire is fed in coiling the same upon the fence wire, whereby thetension of said wire is increased during the operation of coiling,substantially as described.

5. A device for attaching stay wires to wire fences, comprising amongits members a delivery spool and a delivery plate provided fences,comprising among its members a delivery spool and a delivery plateprovided with a delivery eye, and a rib provided with an initialdelivery point in line with the normal curvature of the wire in leavingthe spool, a delivery recess out of the line of curvature of the wire,and a projection located between said recess and said initial deliverypoint for engaging the wire as the device is rotated to lay the firstcoil at a greater distance from the said delivery plate than subsequentcoils, substantially as described.

7 A device for attaching stay wires to wire fences, comprising among itsmembers the end blocks adjustable toward and from each other, each ofsaid blocks being provided with a wire delivery spool, a wire guide, anda delivery plate provided with an arm for engaging the fence wire, adelivery eye, and a delivery recess out of the normal line of curvatureof the wire in leaving the spool, substantially as described.

8. A device for attaching stay wires to wire fences, comprising amongits members the end blocks, provided with rigid adjusting arms, spoolssecured to said blocks, and the delivery plates, and handles engagingthe adj usting arms of both end blocks, and means for adjustablysecuring said arms together, substantially as described.

9. A device for attaching stay wires to wire fences, comprising amongits members the end blocks having inclined wireengaging faces enablingthe device to be readily removed from the fence wires, said blocks be--in g provided with wire supplying spools, arms for engaging the fencewire, and delivery plates for delivering the wire from said spools,substantially as described.

10. A device for attaching stay wires to wire fences comprising amongits members, the end blocks, the delivery plate secured to each block,having a delivery eye located at one side of said block,a wire supplyingspool, and an inclined supporting axis for engaging the spool, tofacilitate the delivery of wire from said spool, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY O. PRATT.

Vitnesses: I

WALTER H. KNAPP, J ENNIE G. SMITH.

